A world away
by shortcurlytop99
Summary: set after lies and set after COG. Magnus's portal goes wrong; transports Magnus, Jace, Clary and Simon into the FAYZ while Caine and Diana are in turn transported into New York. really, what could go wrong? answer; everything.
1. Chapter 1

It was mid-afternoon and the autumn sun shone down on the streets of Brooklyn. Clary quickly walked down the street, rucksack slung on one shoulder and stele in her pocket. She very nearly collided with someone walking in the opposite direction.

"Ow," Clary cried out, rubbing her brow. Simon was grinning at her, dark eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Hey Clary,"

"Oh, hi Simon."

The two of them started to walk at pace with each other.

"Off to Idris?" Simon asked, shielding his eyes with his hand to block the relentless sunshine.

"Yep, same as you," Clary agrees slyly. Simon cocked an eyebrow.

"Since when?"

"This morning,"

"Can't Raphael go? He's the clan leader."

"Ask Magnus," Clary suggested feeling a twinge of sympathy for him. Despite the new alliance between Downworlders and Nephlim, there were still shadowhunters that believed that the old ways are the only way. Clary supposed that thousands of years of hostility would be a hard slate for anyone to wipe clean.

They got to Magnus's place the same time as Jace. He smiled at their direction; Clary felt her heart stutter and then pick up again. Would Jace always have this effect on her?

"Why are you all flustered?" Simon asked, "He could just as easily be smiling at me."

"Hey," Jace greeted and his gold eyes were warm and inviting.

"Hey," Clary replied. They didn't hug or kiss; Clary guessed Simon could only take so much. However, Jace was looking at her the whole time as he revealed a key from his pocket and proceeded to insert it into the lock of the building.

"Where did you get that?" Simon asked with incredulity.

"Alec. I am to guard it with my life, or so I am told."

"Those two are in vomit inducing love." Simon commented as the three of them stepped in to the foyer, "get married already."

At this Jace snorted,

"Do _not_ mention that to them. Unless you want a five hour tirade on the importance for the gay community to be allowed same sex marriages. In conclusion; an awkward dinner conversation between Robert and Magnus. Trust me; I've been there."

"I'll keep that in mind," Simon said heading up the tall staircases that lead to the loft. The door swung open before Clary could knock. There stood a tall man with spiky glittery black hair and a slightly manic expression.

"Come in Shadowhunters, and Simon." Clary, Jace and Simon were herded like sheep into the kitchen. The place was a pigsty. Spell books were flung everywhere and so was an abundant amount of clothes, makeup, pots, pans, vials and even a cauldron or two.

"Magnus," Jace said tersely, taking in the scene with narrowed eyes, "Could you please put away your damn clothes. Or, for God's sake, man, at least invest in a little something called a hamper. Someone could be buried in this mess."

"Funny you mentioned that," Magnus frowned, "Chairman Meow's been MIA for a while now."

At Jace's twitchy-eyed expression of horror, Clary thought it best to move on.

"Gather round," Magnus instructed them. They all crowded around Magnus's fridge.

"Hey, I really don't need to be here." Simon remarked to Magnus quietly, eyeing Clary and Jace as they marked each other with Jace's stele, "Seriously, I just came along to keep Clary Company and say goodbye."

"And why don't you need to be here?" Magnus returned with a bored expression.

"Raphael is clan leader. It's better if he goes." Simon insisted, looking over to Jace and Clary for support.

"Not necessarily." Jace said with a smile at Simon's disappointed face. "If it's between you and Raphael, the clave will chose you. Every time,"

"Why?"

Jace sighed,

"Because you are you and Raphael is Raphael. Despite this new alliance we are all weary of the vampires; Raphael is as sketchy as a three dollar bill. You, on the other hand," Jace grinned contemptuously, "you don't fit in with the vampires and that scares the clave but it also intrigues them. Perhaps they believe that if you're not willing to join the vampires, you can work for the Clave."

"Well, if that's all cleared up." Magnus interjected. He clapped his hands to get Clary and Jace's attention and to bring Simon out of his sorrowful thoughts.

"Time to go."

Magnus threw open the fridge door open. Bright white light met them. When no one moved, Magnus made an impatient sound,

"Let's go. We don't have all day. Jace, Clary? Do you have your weapons?"

They nodded their affirmation.

"Don't I get a weapon?" Simon complained. Jace's face was sinful.

"You have your teeth."

Simon looked faintly nauseous at the thought.

"Okay, kids, into the portal," Magnus trills before practically shoving them into the fridge. Clary grasped Jace's hand and looked into his eyes, searching for some sort of comfort in their depths.

"This is going to go well, right?"

"I hope so."

Clary supposed that was the best answer she was going to get. Closing her eyes, she leaped into free space, floating for a moment and then felt herself fall.

Mary was gone, she poofed, nearly taking all of the prees with her. The events of the battle were hazy and disjointed at best. Sam wasn't even sure of half of what he saw. Although there were three things he was positive. One; Mary poofed, two; Drake was alive and so was Brittany. And three; Drake and Brittany shared a body given to them by the Gaiphage and they were locked in a basement with their body half burned away, but still alive, or rather, undead. To top everything off; Sam had a cold. Not exactly his favorite week thus far. Right now he was walking along the beach with Quinn and Edilio. They were scattered apart; Edilio in the lead, Quinn back a ten feet and off to the side and Sam lagged behind. All were lost in their thoughts. Twilight had fallen, causing Sam to squint a little to make out his surroundings. Although his sight was limited, Sam could still see four silhouettes of people, unbelievably, falling from the sky and headed straight for the ocean.

Diana wasn't sure what happened. She and Caine were lounging in the millionaire's mansion. Caine was looting through the cupboards looking for food to save and Diana was half asleep on the balcony, soaking up the sun. But the next moment, she wasn't. It was in a blink of an eye; she was out of Todd and Jennifer's ridiculous island getaway home and then she was standing in the kitchen of a very messy apartment. Diana quickly glanced to her side and saw that Caine was with her too. For some reason that fact made her a slight bit less panicked. What the hell just happened?

Cain was surveying the scene with narrowed eyes although Diana knew he was just as amazed as she was. Where were they? Caine motioned her to stake out the area; after rolling her eyes, Diana did as she was told. Besides; she was curious. After fifteen minutes of scrounging the place, they found no body. Although, as Diana took a better look at the objects around her; whoever owned the apartment was either the most interesting person on the planet or a total nut job. Diana delicately picked up a pair of rainbow colored leather trousers. She looked over and saw Caine inspecting an old looking book.

After putting the unusual article of clothing down, Diana brushed away the New York Times to look though the bedside drawer. She paused.

_The New York times in Perdido beach?_

She picked up the paper with slightly shaky hands. Once she had located the date, her heart picked up to an impressive speed. Impossible. She wanted to deny it, to stop her insane train of thought. Diana looked up; Caine was standing across from her, eyes wide.

"Diana," he said slowly, "I don't think we're in the FAYZ anymore." Caine seemed to be right. One obvious factor was the time. Perdido beach was well into evening while where they were the sun was still high in the sky. Seeming to think as one, both Caine and Diana rushed to the nearby window. The streets were pretty deserted but the landscape was instantly recognizable. Diana clapped her hand over her mouth while Caine merely stared, slack jawed, in shock. Diana wanted to believe it; she truly wanted to, but she was afraid it was all a mirage.

"We're free," Caine whispered. Diana didn't know if he was talking to her, or himself. She locked eyes with him and he smiled; not his ghost smile that the Gaiphage had reduced him to or his usual cocky grin, but a genuine smile of warmth and happiness. In that moment, Diana was sure it was the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. Not really aware of what she was doing, Diana threw her arms around Caine's neck and embraced him. Caine, a little taken back from her act of affection, followed her lead and hugged her back. Diana stiffened, finally realizing what she was doing, and pulled away. She crossed her arms across her chest and awkwardly looked at anywhere but Caine. Slightly hurt by the rebuff, but not wanting to show it, Caine backed away as well.

"We're out of the FAYZ?" Diana announced to no one. Caine just stared at her.

"We're out," he agreed, but he was holding something back. Diana raised an eyebrow, coaxing, and Caine sighed.

"Whose apartment is this?"

"No clue."

"Well, let's figure it out."

Diana snorted,

"Better idea, there's electricity and running water."

Caine looked mournfully down at his tattered clothes: a bath would be a blessing for both of them.

It didn't take long to find the bathroom. It was small but that hardly mattered. Diana nearly squealed in delight when the hot water hit her body. Finally; she would be clean. She had taken at least half an hour. Washing her hair (although it was short now, just to her chin) and scrubbing every inch of her body until she was raw. Diana rooted around the bathroom and found a very expensive looking silk kimono; it was too long but she put it on anyway. Anything but her destroyed Coates uniform, she thought grudgingly. Looking at it lying on the bathroom floor like a ghost from her past, she decided she would have to burn it at some point or another.

When Diana came out, she found that Caine was sitting on the edge of the unknown owner's bed. He was flipping through the same old book he was examining earlier. His hair was in his eyes, covering a lot of his face. During their short stay at the millionaire's house, they had gained a little bit of weight. Not much; but Diana was pleased to note that looking at her naked body wasn't _as _hard to witness. Bones still stuck out of her hips, ribs and arms, but her resemblance to a skeleton was now marginally less. Caine looked up when he felt Diana take a seat next to him.

"How was the shower?"

"Foreign," Diana answered honestly, looking over his shoulder to the text lying open on his lap. "What's that?"

Caine shrugged, closing the book. .

"No idea. I think it's Greek, or maybe Latin. No idea really; whatever it is, it's old."

"Who do you think lives here?" Diana asked, looking around the room as if it could offer any clues. Caine shrugged, not looking that bothered.

"A guy who can read ancient languages and has an affliction for sparkly things,"

Diana snorted,

"Whatever; just as long as he doesn't come back,"

Caine nodded, seeming lost in thought.

"Diana, why are we here. I mean, what brought us here?" Caine gazed at her; for once his face was open and honest. Two things Caine was very unfamiliar with; openness and honesty. Diana shrugged; she wanted to find out why they were here, how they got here. But at the same time; she really couldn't give a crap. They were out; that's what mattered. However; something was suspicious about this whole thing. Like they weren't out of the woods yet. Or maybe, Diana mused, they had been taken out of _their_ woods and been put into _someone else's_. The thought was not a promising one. But; she reasoned, what could be worse than the FAYZ?

Seeming to think that Diana took his question as rhetorical, Caine kept quiet. Although he didn't stop staring at her. Diana glanced sideways at him, eyebrows raised,

"Take a picture, Caine, it'll last longer."

When he didn't get the hint, Diana turned all the way around so she was facing him dead on.

"What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want something?"

"Give me a break. You're wounded puppy eyed look is a plea for 'give me attention! Give me love!' it's rather pathetic."

"You're petulant, aren't you?"

"No, really? What was your first clue?"

Ignoring this, Caine continued his much not asked for observation.

"Is it because you're scared?"

"We're out of the FAYZ. Away from that psycho Drake, you know the one that wants us dead. Why the hell would I be scared?"

"Of the unknown; you know what to expect in the FAYZ, or as much as anyone does. We're some place totally new."

What was he now? Freud?

"Oh, don't get all psychoanalytic on me, Caine. I'm a pain in the ass because I'm a pain in the ass. End of story."

Caine regarded her coldly,

"Can you not feel anything, Diana? Do you have any heart at all?"

Diana put her head in her hands, trying to block Caine's annoying voice out.

"Oh my God. We've been over this. I'm a bitch! We all know it; my heart is less of a chuck of muscle and more like an icicle sticking out of my chest. I'm the mother ice queen of all ice queens. I. Feel. Nothing. Does that make you happy?"

Diana was holding back tears at this point. Was Caine happy now? Did he want to believe that she felt nothing so he could go on doing what he wanted regardless of how it affected her? Not like her feelings mattered to Caine at all, he still would do what suited him best. Not all that different from Diana at all then. It was a harsh truth to face.

Caine slid over so he was closer to her. She felt his hand touch her thigh through the silk of the kimono.

"Can you feel that?"

Diana kept quiet, watching him stonily. Only when his hand brushed away the silk and slid up higher into a _very _personal area, Diana gasped.

"Or that?"

"Get lost, Caine." Diana snarled, not meaning a word of it.

Caine easily saw past Diana's lie and leaned forward and kissed her. Diana usually pushed away his pitiful want for puppy love and kisses. Although; this was different. This wasn't some kid looking for a peck on the lips; this was a want deeper and rawer than that. Caine felt it, and so did Diana.

"Caine," Diana asked, while he was kissing her collarbone. She was lying flat on the bed and Caine was on top of her, hands exploring her body.

"Uh huh," he mumbled, not really paying attention.

"Do you love me?" Diana knew the answer; he never failed to tell her at every chance. But she needed to hear it _now_.

Caine pulled away and looked into her eyes. His hand caressed her cheek and pushed a stray piece of hair from her face.

"More than life,"

"Good," Diana grabbed his shoulders, forcing him back on top of her and kissed him. Diana decided right then and there that she would let whatever he wanted happen. She wouldn't stop Caine; she soon found that she didn't _want_ to stop him. Diana laughed out loud when Caine picked her up, her legs wound around his waist and arms around his neck, and took her to the privacy of the bathroom. Diana kissed him again before he shut the door.


	2. Chapter 2

When Clary opened her mouth to scream, she managed to gulp down what felt like a truck-load of water. It clogged her throat and filled her lungs, blocking any chance for air. Gagging, she kicked furiously against the tide that had sucked her in and tried not to panic. It would only make, she knew, drowning a whole lot faster. With considerable effort, Clary broke the surface and gasped gratefully at the night chilled air. Blinking the water out of her eyes and squinting, she spotted Jace not ten feet off, bobbing like a life preserver. His blonde hair radiated from his head like a halo. She swam over to him, clothes slowing her progress.

"Jace," Clary grasped his hands in desperation "the water; we can't be in Lake Lyn water. We're going to die."

"Clary, calm down." She couldn't believe it. He was grinning at her, water droplets running down his face as if he were weeping, "We're not in Lake Lyn."

"_What?_"

"We're not in Idris. I don't know where the hell we are." He gently released her death grip on him, no doubt fearing that her panic would surely drown him. Clary was still very much confused.

"Where are the others? Simon can't stay in the water too long."

"I don't know."

The two of them locked eyes; despite the bravado, Clary could tell Jace was as frightened and disconcerted as she was.

"Are you guys okay?"

The cry was loud to be heard over the crashing waves. Jace's eyes narrowed and Clary's heart started to beat at triple time. The voice wasn't recognizable. Clary turned around (a delayed action; she wasn't the strongest swimmer) to come face to face with an absolute stranger.

"Guys! I found them." Clary thought the boy was nuts, shouting at midair, but soon realized he wasn't. A small speed boat chugged towards them. Two people in the boat already; Clary couldn't tell anything about them. It was too dark to see anything but silhouettes. The strange boy pulled himself up onto the boat with impressive finesse and reached down to haul Clary out of the water. She was unceremoniously dumped on the ground and a towel was wrapped around her. The guy pulled Jace out of the water as well.

"Who are you?" Clary asked, shivering slightly. The boy didn't answer. Instead he addressed one of the people on the boat,

"Quinn, do you have a flashlight?"

"No, Brah. Batteries were confiscated a few weeks ago."

"Damn. Okay; a Sammy sun will have to do."

It was then that the boy did something that Clary couldn't believe. He made light come out of his hand, a perfect ball of white green light, and it suspended in the air, illuminating the crowded bow of the boat.

His smile looked a little ghostly in the supernatural light.

"I'm Sam, Sam Temple," the boy introduced himself and his eyes flew to Clary, "And you are?"

"Confused," Jace spat irritably. Like Clary he was staring at the ball of white-green illumination that sat in mid air.

"Like the majority of us." The boy named Sam replied coolly. He glanced out to the water, a frown on his face. It was then that Clary noticed that despite being in the water Sam was very dirty, filthy even.

"You said there were others?" He asked, not looking away from the choppy waves and Clary nodded, teeth chattering. She didn't notice until she felt his lips in her hair that Jace and scooted over to her side, draping his long arm over her shoulders. She leaned into him gratefully.

"Well, I think I see them. Edilio? The rope?" the shortest out of the three boys flung the rope to Sam who in turn tossed out to the water.

"Where the hell are we?" a voice asked. Clary felt relief wash through her when she realized that it was Simon, being tugged out of the water by Sam.

"Simon! You're okay!" Clary exclaimed, leaving Jace's side and hugging Simon tight. Simon squeezed her back.

"yeah, I'm alright; You know, I can now see why swimming lessons came in handy." He grimaced, "But, man, Raphael was right about vampires being like cats: God, I feel sick."

Jace seemed to be in a state of cationic shock and barely noticed Magnus heave his wiry frame out of the water, ignoring Sam's hand, and sitting on the floor of the boat. He looked miserable and very agitated. His cat eyes glowed in sullenness.

"Okay; that was _not _supposed to happen."

"Oh, really? I just thought being transported into a lake, that is not Lake Lyn, I might add, was all just about of your divine plan. Never mind almost drowning and getting run over by a boat," now he directed his acidic gaze at the boy sitting at the wheel of the speedboat, "you're driving sucks."

Sam looked between the Jace and Magnus and then addressed Clary,

"Is he always this bitter and sarcastic?"

"Only when he's cranky," Clary murmurs, carefully drawing away a fuming Jace. Simon snorted.

"And when he wakes up in the morning,"

"And at meal times," Magnus adds.

"Bedtime too,"

"We get it," Clary shot them a not-so-subtle 'shut up' look before looking up at Sam Temple who was smirking in amusement.

"Ah," was his only acknowledgement and then went back to work trying up the rope. It became clear in a few seconds which side of the boat was whose. Sam and the two boys with him were at the wheel while Clary, Simon, Jace and Magnus were on the other side. The boys bickered in low whispers though it was clear who they were bickering about. If she was guessing right, it seemed that the boy named Quinn was opposing the shorter boy and Sam. After a few more moments of deliberation, Sam broke away from his pack and approached them with an easy smile.

"Okay, right….uh," his eyes switched between Jace and Magnus, unsure, "which of you is in charge?"

"I am," both answered in unison. Simon groaned.

"No one is," he corrects, ignoring Magnus' heated look, "Why so interested?"

"Well, um…crap," Sam shook his head, running a large hand through his too-long hair, "Look, I know you guys are probably seriously confused and want to ask me a million questions…"

"Not really," Jace interjected nastily, "you don't really look that knowledgeable or otherwise intelligent. I wouldn't trust you with any of my questions. I mean, if you were Simon for instance, maybe. Only because Simon's Jewish and that kind of means he _has_ to have brains. But you see, Simon kind of goes against the status quo: so, really, it explains why I spend my life in libraries and training and travelling to broaden my cultural tastes and mind while Simon spends his, now immortal, life pinning after werewolves and my step-sister and wandering into vampire-infested hotels because he _feels _like it. Does that make sense, Sam Temple, or you are just thinking I'm nuts and rambling like one of those old ladies who has a billion cats and lives in a shoe box?"

"What is he talking about?" Sam looked stunned and slightly angry. Clary stepped between both boys hastily,

"Just ignore him: what we're you saying before, Sam?"

"Yes," Jace snaps glumly, sitting back down behind Clary, "just ignore the crazy guy over here: but, for the record, I only have one cat, and it's not even really mine. See? No one loves me. Not even felines."

"Shut up," Simon advises. Sam looked like he agreed with the sentiment.

"Okay, you guys might think I'm lying to you but I'm not. We're in the FAYZ."

Magnus' lip curled.

"That's not supposed to be some weird hippy talk for an acid trip, is it?"

"No," Sam rolled his eyes, "the FAYZ is the Fallout Alley Youth Zone: there's nobody here but kids."

Simon looked skeptical.

"What, did you kill all the parents because they wouldn't let you stay up past your bedtime?"

"They vanished, disappeared," Sam's smile became sardonic, "poof,"

"Why?" Jace asks wearily, golden eyes fierce. Sam's returning expression was cool.

"No one has any idea. But what we do know is that it has something to do with a Gaiphage, the darkness—it's claimed a lot of lives," Sam sighed, "it's just a lot of explain: but here's what you need to know if you're going to be staying here for more than a few, you know, minutes: kids in Perdido Beach aren't all…normal. They're freaks, mutants with special powers. Like, for example, me."

"So you can make homemade light bulbs?" Jace looked bored, "Fascinating,"

"Not just Sammy Suns," Quinn butts in for the first time, "he's, like, a blow torch, brah."

"Please," Jace's mouth twisted, "I am not your brah. Actually," he looked to Sam, "Isn't that supposed to be mean_ girl_ in dumb surfer talk?"

"Jace," Clary snapped, "shut up."

"Thanks," Sam looked relieved, "Anyway, besides mutants, we have an evil guy named Caine…yeah," he nodded somberly at Magnus' raised eyebrows, "that's his real name. He's a freak too, and a powerful one. He's in league with the darkness and Drake, this _really_ evil guy who has a kind of a whip for a hand. Another plot twist? Happens to be my long lost brother,"

"Drake?"

"What? God, no, Caine."

"Are you sure?" Clary exchanged a look with Jace, "because we've had our fair share of long lost sibling crap and it's not always…"

"Trust me," Sam's eyes were solemn, "he's my brother."

"Not that this hasn't been riveting, you're oh so devastating small town tale," Magnus begins loftily, "but we really don't have time to chat. If we're going to get back to New York, I need to make a portal as quickly as possible." Suddenly he looked uncertain, "you do, err, have contact with the outside world, right? I mean, Santa Barbra is around here right?"

"Used to," Quinn emphasizes creepily, "we're cut off, brah. Nowhere to go but the FAYZ,"

"Oh, for the love of Idris," Magnus snaps impatiently, "first of all, stop referring to me as an undergarment. I don't have time for this: look, I'm a warlock. I know these things. And it is impossible to be entirely cut off from the outside world, especially if this little 'pocket' is run by children!"

"It was the gaiphage," Sam says hotly, "it's not our fault. If we knew a way out, believe me, we would be out."

"So you're saying your trapped?" Clary gulped, "like, for how long?"

"I'm not sure," Sam says dully, "eight months. Maybe more,"

"Impossible," Jace breathes, going white, "a society can't be run by kids…"

"It has been," Sam interrupted, "but not without a price: a lot of people have died. When we get back to the mainland, I can show you the graveyard if you like."

"Uh…"

"And just so you know?" the Mexican kid spoke up with an accent similar to Raphael's though not nearly as curt or cruel, "the dead don't stay dead."

"Yeah," Quinn looked to Sam in confusion, "Brah, how many times did Drake come back? Twice?"

"We _thought_ he was dead the first time."

"Well, yeah, seeing that you dropped a coal mine on him. It was kind of to be expected."

"Alright, alright, we get you guys have a lot to explain." Jace pursed his lips, "can I talk now?"

"Did you ever stop?" Sam muttered.

"We come from New York," Jace began and shot a reproachful look at Magnus, "and we were happily on our way to Idris when Mr. Genius Portal Man over here nearly killed us."

"Wait," Quinn looked intrigued, "Idris?"

"Shadowhunter country," Magnus explains with a wave of a hand. Sam smirked.

"Please, elaborate,"

"We kill demons," Jace indulged briskly, "you know the drill: enchanted swords, magic tattoos, glamour's, and unrivaled sexiness. What do you guys do?"

"Shoot fire from our hands, run super fast, control gravity, levitate objects, and create massive walls that surround an entire town," Sam listed off, "you know, stuff that doesn't belong in fairy tales."

"Trust me, kid," Magnus says lowly, eyes twinkling, "we wish we came from fairy tales."

"We can talk," Edilio pipes up, "on the mainland. Sam?" he looked to the boy that was clearly the leader. Sam chewed on his cheek before nodding his consent. Clary nearly fell into Sam as the boat turned abruptly in the opposite direction. Holding her steady, Sam smiled down at her.

"Just out of mild curiosity, what's your name?"

"I…I'm, uh, Clary." Clary mumbled. "And that's Jace, Simon, and Magnus."

"Clary," Sam muses, "that's a pretty name."

"Back off," Jace warns between gritted teeth, "that tone implied a lot more than general curiosity."

"And I think you've swallowed too much salt water," Magnus effortlessly slapped Jace on the side of the head, "shut up and take in the scenery, Shadowhunter."

"Yes, I'm looking forward to the twinkling lights of welcome from Perdido Beach, the FAYZ, whatever hell other name you people have come up with." Jace mumbles almost incoherently. Sam sighed and winked at Clary,

"Sorry to disappoint you, Jace, but we don't have any electrical power anymore. Caine shut us down weeks ago. No twinkling lights of welcome for you,"

"Gosh darn it," Jace replies blackly before sinking into moody silence.

Astrid paced the living room in the house she was currently residing in. Sam had been gone for a while now. Where could he be? Astrid didn't want to be some nagging, needy girlfriend. But she was on edge; Little Pete was sick, full of fever and hallucinations. Kids were grieving the loss of Mother Mary and Drake was back, half burned away and sharing a body with Brittany, but back all the same. They were all hanging on by a thread.

She flinched when the door swung open; it was Howard.

"Astrid. Come on. Sam needs you _now_. You have to see who he has with him."

Astrid rubbed her temples; Howard was not her favorite person in the world. But over the past few months his alliance had seemed to sway to Sam; although it was not clear whether it would stay there or not. Astrid guessed it would have to depend on which side was winning at that particular moment.

"It's not Caine or Diana, is it?" she asked walking with him out the door, making sure the door was locked and that John was still with Little Pete.

"What? God no. If he did, do you think I would have stuck around to spy? No, he's got people. Like new guys that fell from the sky."

At Astrid's dubious glance Howard shrugged,

"I know; weird right? But we're in the FAYZ, what else do you expect?"

He had a good point.

"So what's so great about these guys?"

"Well, first of all they're from New York which kind of puts our small town minds into boggled states." he laughed without humor, "and get this: they fell out of a portal. Isn't that cool? Oh, and the best part is…" he paused for effect, watching Astrid carefully, "_they're all over fifteen years old_."

"That's impossible." Astrid snapped but quickened her pace all the same. Howard grinned,

"Yeah, yeah; believe it when you see it, Astrid. Because it's real. Maybe they can save us?"

"And maybe they can't. We thought that about Caine, didn't we?"

"Yeah; but I think these guys are different."

"I'll believe it when I see it, Howard." Astrid said, using his earlier words against him. The two of them ended their conversation there and headed to the Marina. Astrid was wary; she didn't know who they were. They could be evil, or bad.

_What happened to giving people the benefit of the doubt?_ A voice in her head hissed, _Jesus said to judge is to be judged_.

_Yeah well, _Astrid snapped back at the annoying voice, _Jesus never met Caine or Drake before has he?_

That shut it up.

"Alec, slow _down_." Isabelle complained, trailing after her brother who was almost sprinting down the street.

"We have to let them know, Izzie; it's dangerous to use a portal on Idris if it's all blocked up."

"I wouldn't worry too much about them being on time, Alec; Magnus is probably too busy deciding which sparkly headband to bring."

Alec smiled slightly, "there is a lot to choose from."

The Lightwood siblings quickly jogged up to the apartment door.

"Damn. I gave the key to Jace."

"Move over," Isabelle instructed, pushing her brother aside. Hastily she drew a rune over the door. She gave Alec a self satisfied smirk as she pushed the door open.

"Nice."

"I try."

They let themselves in. Alec called out,

"Magnus! Are you here?"

He exchanged a worried glance with Isabelle; her dark eyes were anxious.

"Let's check upstairs."

The place was untidy; Alec pursed his lips. He didn't like the thought that someone had been through Magnus's things.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Isabelle and Alec looked around the room. The fridge door was wide open, icy air blowing over both of them, and Alec closed it.

"Well, if no one is here…." He trailed off when he noticed Isabelle bring out her whip. It uncoiled from it place on her wrist, glittering threateningly. Alec shifted his gaze from Isabelle to the two people standing in the middle of the room.

They were dressed oddly; one was in a disgustingly tattered and dirty school uniform. His hair was lanky and dark. He was young; perhaps a couple years younger than Isabelle, but the haunted look about him made him appear older. Alec supposed he was good looking—or at least, used to be. He was too gaunt and haggard looking to be considered handsome now. The girl next to him was dressed in a long blue man's dress shirt. She had dark short hair, messy like someone had run their hands through it; her midnight eyes met his: they were scared.

"Isabelle, leave the whip alone." Alec said, coming to stand next to his sister. "Who are you?" Alec asked, directing himself at the two of them. Neither of them bothered to reply and Alec sighed. Then he did a double take at the girl.

"Hey, that's _my_ shirt. Where did you get that?" the girl looked down at herself almost as a reflex.

"Uh, the drawer?"

Alec cursed Magnus; there was reason he was running out of clothes. Magnus never bothered to return anything.

"Do you live here?" the boy asked, his mouth twisted into a mean smirk, "you don't strike me as someone who has an abundant amount of sparkly attire."

"I don't live here." Alec snapped, now wishing he hadn't told Isabelle to lay off the whip.

"Then who does?"

"I think you should be answering _our_ questions." Isabelle said, eyeing the two of them suspiciously, "first of all, who the hell are you?"

The boy grinned manically, "I'm Caine Soren."

There was a beat of silence.

"No, seriously," Isabelle prompts irritably, "what's your name."

"It's Caine Soren," the boy repeats with a frown.

"Like, as in, the Bible Caine?"

"I suppose,"

"That sucks," Isabelle says sympathetically and Caine blew out a mouthful of air angrily,

"Enough about my name: who the hell are you two?"

"Yeah," the girl echoes, beautiful face darkening, "what are you, cops?"

"Gross," Alec made a face, "and that's none of your business. How did you end up in my boy…my friend's apartment?"

"Um…" the girl looked uncertain.

"Spit it out," Isabelle snaps before adding in an undertone to her brother, "bro, you've seriously got to get over your homosexual willies. Admitting it is the first step. Kind of like AA,"

"Shut up," Alec snarled.

"What do I get if I do tell you?" Caine asked, his eyes raking Alec and Isabelle lazily.

"You don't get your ass kicked." Isabelle informed him cheerfully. Alec noticed the dark haired girl cover up a smile.

"Err, right. No. I don't think so."

"What's your name?" Alec asked the girl and her smile disappeared.

"Diana Landris."

"Okay; I've had enough of this." Caine announced. Alec had the sudden urge to strangle the annoying, pretentious boy.

"Yeah, me too." Isabelle agreed. On cue Alec quickly drew out his seraph blade. Caine eyed his weapon with mild curiosity.

"Oh, cool. Want to see what I can do?"

"No," Isabelle and Alec chorused in unison.

Caine lifted his hand, like he was directing traffic. Alec heard a loud screeching noise, like a robot screaming, then turned around and saw that the fridge had been ripped out of its unit and hung in the air.

"And that's not the best part," Caine crowed. Alec didn't turn around to see what he did but a second later the fridge was moving. Coming at an alarming pace and headed straight for their heads.

"DUCK!" Alec cried out. Both he and Isabelle dove onto the ground, narrowly missing the fridge. It crashed into the wall at the other end of the room.

Isabelle's dark eyes were wide.

"Holy crap,"

Alec was inclined to agree. They had to take care of this telekinetic pain in the ass. Alec got up with Isabelle at his side.

"See ya," Caine said gaily, dashing out the nearest exit with Diana in tow. He waved his hand again and Alec wasn't even surprised when the tall bookshelf came down, taking Isabelle and him with it.


End file.
